Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UNRWA

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to be notified of the outcome of the investigation into allegations that some staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) were involved in the Hamas attacks against Israel on 7 October 2023; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the humanitarian response in Gaza is not adversely affected as a result of the suspension of donor country funds to UNRWA.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's pause in any future funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) will remain in place until we review the allegations, and we are looking to our partners in the UN to carry out a robust and comprehensive investigation. Any future funding decisions will be taken after this point. We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people in Gaza get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.

Ethiopia: Humanitarian Aid

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government howmuch money was allocated to tackling humanitarian crises in Ethiopia in (1) 2019–20, (2) 2020–21, (3) 2021–22, and (4) 2022–23.

Lord Benyon: The UK has been an overseas development assistance (ODA) donor to Ethiopia over the last four years. Our overall ODA allocations have been: £300 million in 2019-20, £254 million in 2020-21, £134 million in 2021-22 and £90 million in 2022-23. Since 2019, the UK has allocated over £400 million to tackle humanitarian crises in Ethiopia. UK funding has provided 950,000 Ethiopians with medical supplies and is delivering lifesaving nutrition, health, water and sanitation and protection support to the most vulnerable. In February 2024, Minister Mitchell announced an extra £100 million in humanitarian aid during his visit to Ethiopia in response to the worsening humanitarian situation.

Pakistan: Development Aid

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whether any UK aid to Pakistan isdirected specifically towards supporting persecuted religious minorities; and if so, how much.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We prioritise our aid to achieve maximum impact for the people of Pakistan in line with our strategic priorities, including promoting the rights of religious minorities. Examples include our Aawaz II programme, which is allocated £39.5 million (2018-2024) and brings together community leaders and minority representatives to promote tolerance; and our Hate Speech and Disinformation programme, which works to protect marginalised communities from hate speech online.

India: Demolition

Baroness Cox: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations theyhave made to the government of India to cease the demolition of properties owned by Muslims suspected of involvement in communal violence in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Any reports of discrimination against religious minorities are a matter for the Indian police and legal system. The British High Commission in New Delhi continues to monitor the situation in India.We engage India on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with civil society, to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. Where we have any issues, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at Ministerial level.

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

Lord Foster of Bath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of putting the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association on a statutory footing.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The CPA (Commonwealth Parliamentary Association) is a valued partner of the FCDO and we greatly appreciate the important work being done by the organisation and its regional branches across the Commonwealth.The FCDO is delighted to support the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and International Committee of the Red Cross (Status) Bill which would enable the Government to treat these organisations in a manner comparable to that of an international organisation of which the UK is a member.The Bill was read a second time on 19 January and will now progress to Committee stage.

Kyrgyzstan: Civil Society

Baroness Cox: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Kyrgyzstan regarding the protection of civic activism in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary has raised his concerns over the Foreign Agents bill directly with the Kyrgyz government. His Majesty's Ambassador in Bishkek continues to raise these concerns with the government of Kyrgyzstan. We encourage Kyrgyzstan to protect fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression and assembly, which is essential to the long-term health of democracy.

Kyrgyzstan: Civil Society and Human Rights

Baroness Cox: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Foreign Representatives Bill in Kyrgyzstan, with regards to (1) civic activism, and (2) human rights obligations, in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO is following the progress of the Foreign Representatives Bill closely. We share the concerns previously raised by the United Nations that it could contravene Kyrgyzstan's international obligations in relation to rights and freedoms. We encourage Kyrgyzstan to protect these fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression and assembly, which is essential to the long-term health of democracy.

Home Office

Belfast Agreement: Human Rights

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill does notundermine their commitments under the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the Safety of Rwanda(Asylum and Immigration) Bill does not undermine the UK's duty to incorporate theEuropean Convention on Human Rights into the law of Northern Ireland, including facilitating both (1) direct access to the courts, and (2) remedies for breaches of the Convention.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they havetaken to ensure that the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill conforms with the requirements of Article 2 of the Windsor Framework.

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government whenthey will publish the explanatory memorandum on the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill’s compliance with Article 2 of the Windsor Framework.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will apply in full in Northern Ireland in the same way it does in the rest of the UK. This is set out on the face of the Bill, reflecting that immigration policy is a UK-wide matter. There is nothing in the Windsor Framework that affects that. The Bill does not engage the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, including the rights chapter – those rights seek to address longstanding and specific issues relating to Northern Ireland’s past and do not extend to matters engaged by the bill. The Government remains fully committed to that Agreement in all its parts. I have written to Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in relation to this. The letter will be published in the House Library in due course. To provide further reassurance on these points, the published factsheet on this Bill has been updated to reflect this: Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill: factsheet - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)Bill factsheet (pdf, 266.9KB)

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Solar Power and Wind Power

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the amount of power that will be generated from wind and solar energy by (1) 2030, (2) 2040, and (3) 2050.

Lord Callanan: Two indicative Net Zero consistent scenarios for the GB power sector are published as Annex O of the Energy and Emissions Projections.[1] Renewable generation in these scenarios is: Annual Generation (TWh)203020402050Net Zero Lower282427483Net Zero Higher307494591 [1] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6463addee140700013b6e048/annex-o-annex-j-all-power-producer-generation.odsEnergy and Emissions Projections (xlsx, 38.2KB)

Environment Protection: Climate Change

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to ensure that climate policies remain effective in driving emission reductions, and (2) to promote investment into renewable energy.

Lord Callanan: The UK has halved its emissions, ahead of every other major economy. The transitions set out in the Net Zero Strategy for every sector of the UK economy keep it on track for Carbon Budgets 4, 5 and 6, the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution, and net zero by 2050. The Government has consistently seized the opportunity to attract investment in renewables, with around £120 billion of new investment since 2010 alongside around £80 billion of UK levy funded support. For example, it continues to support new renewable deployment through the Contracts for Difference Scheme, which now runs on an annual basis.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Men

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask His Majesty's Government how many men aged (1) 70–72, (2) 73–75, (3) 76–79, and (4) 80 and above, were held in prisons nationally in each year since 2010; and of those, how many in each age category were diagnosed with progressive dementia.

Lord Bellamy: Annual data on the number of men in prison in the specified age groups are set out in the table attached. Information about prisoners diagnosed with dementia is collected by the NHS. It is not collated in the form requested and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.Health services for those in custody, including dementia support, are the responsibility of the NHS, which is required to provide services of a standard equivalent to that which is available to the general population.HMPPS works in partnership with the NHS and Adult Social Care services to support prisoners with dementia. Examples include awareness training for staff, cognitive exercises such as reminiscence activities, and cognitive stimulation therapy. Additionally, the Ministry of Justice has published guidance on the circumstances under which applications can be made for prisoners to be considered for early release on compassionate grounds subject to specific criteria being met. This can be accessed on gov.uk or using the link provided: www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-release-on-compassionate-grounds-policy-framework. HL2183_table (xlsx, 17.0KB)

Department of Health and Social Care

Fractures: Health Services

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 9 February (HL2206), whethera specific body will be set up to leadtheir joint exploration, with NHS England, of supporting the provision of fracture liaison services.

Lord Markham: As per the Major Conditions Strategy: Case for change and our strategic framework, the Government, together with NHS England, will explore supporting the provision of fracture liaison services. The Government has no current plans to set up a specific body to lead this joint exploration, as this is part of the ongoing policy engagement between the Department and NHS England.

Medicine: Apprentices

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government how muchfunding has been provided for medical apprenticeships by (1) Health Education England, and (2) other sources.

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government whatdiscussions they have had with (1) medical royal colleges, and (2) medical professional bodies, about the establishment of medical apprenticeships.

Lord Markham: NHS England is providing £150,000 of funding per medical degree apprentice over the term of the programme, as an Employer Support Fund, for cohorts that commence in 2024 and 2025.Medical schools will receive the Strategic Priorities Grant, funded by the Office of Students, for cohorts commencing in 2024 and 2025. Employers can utilise their apprenticeship levy up to a maximum of £27,000 over the term of the programme as a contribution to medical school tuition fees.The Department has regular discussions with the medical royal colleges and medical professional bodies about a range of issues, including the introduction of the medical degree apprenticeship.

Medicine: Apprentices

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the General Medical Council regardingthe regulation of medical apprenticeships.

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, tofurther regulate medical apprenticeship programmes.

Lord Markham: The Department has regular discussions with the General Medical Council (GMC) on a range of issues, including all aspects of the introduction of the medical degree apprenticeship. People who undertake and successfully complete the medical degree apprenticeship will receive the same medical degree as those who study through a full-time university medical degree route and will need to achieve the same outcome standards set by the GMC.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Import Controls: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government which Minister will have responsibility for the operation, staffing and maintenance of border inspection posts in Northern Ireland upon their completion.

Lord Douglas-Miller: The UK Government already assumed responsibility for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Inspection Facilities in Northern Ireland last year. As set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, the Government will take powers at Westminster to direct NI bodies to protect the UK internal market in the operation of the Windsor Framework. We will set out further details in due course.